ANDERSON, S.C. – Sophomore Chandler Castleberry fueled a three-run sixth inning rally with a two-out, two-run triple, as the Anderson baseball team wrapped up a four-game homestand by defeating Belmont Abbey, 9-6, Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
Anderson improved to 6-3 with its third straight victory, while Belmont Abbey fell to 5-4 and had its win streak halted at four games.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Castleberry also posted a two-RBI double in the third inning, reached on a walk and scored twice, as the Waxhaw, .C., native finished 2-for-4 on the day with four RBI. Senior Brandon Odachowski added three singles in five at-bats, with junior Dillon Carpenter going 2-for-4, with a walk and also scored twice. Junior Matthew Overton reached base four times, with two singles and a pair of walks, while junior Cody Adams crossed the plate twice after drawing a walk in the first inning and getting hit by a pitch in the sixth inning.
Senior Stetson Scott (1-0) earned the win after tossing 4 1/3 strong innings in relief. The right-hander allowed just one hit and fanned three batters, while walking two. Senior Christian Hendrix capture the save after striking out one and getting the final two outs in the ninth after giving up a single.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Belmont Abbey jumped out to a quick lead, courtesy of a two-out, two-run homer off the bat of junior Mason Dodd, while Adams led off the home-half of the first inning with a walk and scored when Castleberry reached on an error by the Crusader's third baseman.
The Crusader's added to their lead with a solo run in the second inning and pushed out to a 5-1 edge with a pair of runs in the third frame, before Jackson Strange and Carpenter opened the bottom of the third with back-to-back singles and crossed the plate when Castleberry ripped his double into the gap in left-center.
Belmont Abbey garnered a 6-4 lead by scoring another run in the top of the fourth.
After a scoreless fourth and fifth innings for AU, the Trojans rallied for the three runs to take the lead for good with two outs. Adams was hit by a pitch with one out and Carpenter followed two batters later with a walk. Castleberry then laced an opposite-field triple into right, which plated both runners. Overton brought Castleberry home with a clutch single to center.
Trailing by just one, the Crusaders had the tying run in scoring position with just one out, but Scott induced an inning-ending double play to work out of the jam.
AU added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth and it looked like the Trojans might need them, as Belmont Abbey loaded the bases with just one out in the top of the ninth. But Hendrix struck Dodd out and got the final out on a routine fly to center to preserve the win.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE GAME
AU out-hit the Crusaders, 11-6.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans improved to 6-2 at home.
• Jackson Strange extended his hitting streak to six games.
UP NEXT
Following a five-day layoff, Anderson is slated to visit Young Harris for a midweek contest before returning to the Electric City for another four-game homestand. First-pitch versus the Mountain Lions on Tuesday is set for 2 p.m.